Exclusive: Apple Plans Flagship Store in Brooklyn

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Brace yourself: Apple is scouring Brooklyn, seeking a home in the 718 area code for a flagship Brooklyn Apple Store, sources tell Racked. While Apple's urge to hawk iPhones to Brooklynites is all but a certainty, what's not known at this time is which neighborhood the computer maker is targeting for its first Brooklyn foray.

Red Hook: Sure, Ikea's coming in. And rumors have swirled about a Bed Bath and Beyond coming in on the waterfront, too—there's at least 20,000 square feet of retail space still to play with there. Still? Apple likes stores in neighborhoods with serious foot traffic, and Ikea or not, that ain't Red Hook. Odds: 25-1

Smith Street: Foot traffic, check. And plenty of little boutiques lend an air of elegance. Okay, an air of quasi-elegance. Okay, an air of fresh Dunkin' Donuts. Transfats aside, the issue here is the lack of a retail footprint big enough even for Apple to open one of its smaller factory stores. And empty development footprints are few and far between. Odds: 15-1

Dumbo: Two Trees has been looking for a tenant in the long-vacated ABC Carpet and Home warehouse space, and there's something about the Apple and Dumbo brands that just seems to go together (overly precious, check; overly branded, check; we're over both of them, check). A longshot, though one we'd sort of love to see. Odds: 10-1

Downtown Brooklyn: Hey, if it's good enough for Target, right? By far the most boring choice, but also probably the most logical. Let's move on. Odds: 4-1

Williamsburg: Can you think of a major big-box retailer with a presence in the Burg? Exactly. Which is why this has to happen. Picture the hipsters, fresh off the L Train, wandering up North 6th and into the Apple Store, firm in their decision to avoid the $40 used iPod Shuffle on Craigslist in favor of the real $99 McCoy. These are the moments of our lives. Steve, baby, make it so. Odds: 3-1, in our wildest dreams

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